A home full of memories gets an update

In 1949 a woman bought this small home in Lower Austria. She passed it down through the generations, so that now her grandson lives there with his own family. It has been almost a century since the home was originally built, in 1929, so this grandson wanted to update it. He hired the architectural firm, Sue Architeketen ZT to do the job. They took a close look at the history of the building and kept it in mind during the planning process. This home's legacy as a family heirloom had to be preserved, and it had to feel like much the same space, just more functional and modern.

Orchard deck

These knotted apple trees were planted long before this latest updated. To build the deck, some designers may have cut the trees down, but not these, they knew how important the smell of apple blossoms and the taste of fresh apples would be to the family. So the deck was built with holes for the trees to poke through, and the family can have picnics in the shade.

Main floor

The space inside the home is clearly defined with flooring options. The living space is in hardwood, with a soft white rug in front of the couch. To make this old space look modern, everything was painted white, from the ceiling, to the walls, to the doors.

Couch corner

Who knows why the original design of the home, working almost a century ago, chose to make this bay window's niche this size. It was awkward, and not quite enough space for a modern sitting room. The solution was to turn the space into one giant couch that the whole family can lounge on.

Back window

One way to bring lots of natural light into an old home is to add windows, or, in this case, replace the entire back wall, even the door, with glass. The subtle touch of wood trim as the window's frame adds a warmth to the space. Off to the right, you can see a kitchen with a breakfast nook.

Breakfast nook

The breakfast nook takes the same principle as the rest of the home, with windows added to bring light in. The bench style seat has been added to make the most of the cramped space. The small table has a center support for the same reason. The window has been used a shelf to show off some treasured items.

By night

The back patio looks even more romantic in the moonlight. The potlights are placed perfectly to light up the apple trees, creating a comforting canopy above. There's ample room on this deck for all members of the family, and their furniture.